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Any winning football program begins with setting goals at the beginning of the season. Michigan State University head coach Mark Dantonio, his staff and his players set a clear vision for the program at the beginning of the year.

The problem with upgrades to facilities is two-fold. Most big-ticket items fall outside the purview of a school’s normal athletic budget, and most schools rely upon the football program to spearhead the fundraising efforts to finance these projects.

In more than 30 years of coaching, I have seen it all when it comes to errors in passing mechanics. Often, passers can fix their errors simply by identifying the root causes of poor passes. By seeing an errant pass for what it is, and identifying mechanical issues, coaches can help quarterbacks become more accurate passers.

There are four words that come to mind when I think about great linebackers: eyes, feet, hands and finish. These four words should be emphasized every day in practice. Part four of this series focuses on the finish.

Linebackers, along with every other position on the field, must have great feet. Once the linebacker has quickly read his key, now it is time to react to that key. He must now get to his assignment and execute it as soon as possible.

A coach’s professional path can be defined in three stages: ascension, maintenance and service. The stages, while unique, are also fluid from one stage to the next. At times, the flows like a cool mountain stream; while on other occasions, it can become a raging river.

If your goal is to be the most-talked-about team in your conference, what strategies are you putting in place to reach that target? If your goal is to be recognized as the blue-collar brand of the Pacific Northwest, what strategies are you implementing to substantiate that claim?

The next step in building a marketing plan is to formulate a set of objectives that ultimately get you closer to your end goal: a differentiated position among your competition. The same way coaches have goals that they believe lead to success on game day, brand managers have goals that they believe will lead to increased market share.

The best recruiter on your staff isn’t a person. The best recruiter on your staff doesn’t get paid. The best recruiter on your staff doesn’t even talk. Yet, the best recruiter on your staff tells a recruit everything he needs to know about your school.